


Swap

by Bonsaiiiiiii



Series: Brains' crazy inventions [1]
Category: Thunderbirds
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-17
Updated: 2020-07-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:27:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22773334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bonsaiiiiiii/pseuds/Bonsaiiiiiii
Relationships: Virgil Tracy/Original Character(s)
Series: Brains' crazy inventions [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1716346
Kudos: 7





	1. Chapter 1

It's Monday, and I woke up in Virgil's bed with a big red stain on my part of the bed. (Un)fortunately, he wasn't there.

I slept with him yesterday, it was so good to get a big hug from a big bear once in a lifetime.

Good, perfect. My life is beautiful. Everything is going alright.

No. Not even in the slightest.

Brains made some tests on me yesterday, convinced of the idea that he could swap the soul of 2 persons or something like that, so he made this big fat cookie with my DNA on it. The thing is creepy but interesting at the same time; can you imagine yourself in someone else's body?

Brains said that every other person that eats the cookie apart from me automatically swaps souls with me, but he also said that this would happen only if I allowed it, and I didn't yet, so, technically I'm safe?

I'm thinking about swapping souls with Virgil, it would be fun.

I decided to get out of his bed and do a good merited shower, since I deserve it.  
I undressed myself, putting the panties and pajama pants I wore during the night in ice cold water, to let the blood separate from the material.

Then I opened the steaming hot water and got inside.

I took a deep breath, washing away my body first. It is strange, since I'm used to wash my hair first.

Once my body was all washed out, clean and scented of lavender and mint, I got to the hair.

I took the vanilla shampoo bottle, pouring a little quantity on my palm. Then I rubbed my hands for a second, to then put them in my hair, rubbing my scalp with a slow and circular movement.

I washed away the foam to then repeat the cycle another time; then I passed to the conditioner, tangerine scented and made specially for colored hair -yeah, if you didn't notice it yet, I like to smell like food and fruits-.  
Once I was finished with the hair treatment I got out of the shower, twisting a towel on my hair like a burqa.

Then I rubbed my body with the big green bathrobe I borrowed from Virgil. Yeah, I love that bear, and I *borrow* everything from him. He doesn't mind.

I put immediately other panties on, naturally with a big tampon, and I dressed myself up with some trousers and a big green t-shirt that is property of someone else.

I just finished dressing, so I rushed out to soak all the bed covers in cold water, then after 5 minutes I put everything to wash.

I then dried my hair, not bothering on touching it with a hairbrush, and when I finished I finally sat on the chair at Virgil's desk.

I watched the paintings and the drafts he had shattered all over there; he also has this cutie habit of doodling on the desk, and pouting when he erases the doodles unintentionally with his hands.

My tummy hurts so much..I need to go down and take a pill for this never-ending pain. Just when I was about to get up I started feeling way worse than before; now, apart from my tummy, also my head and chest hurt. I feel so bad..

Involuntarily I closed my eyes, but the problem was when I opened them again.

I wasn't in Virgil's room anymore. I looked up to see the living room with Virgil and Scott, the eldest asking me something I didn't pay attention to; I was with a cookie in hand.  
I know exactly what happened.

Who the hell ate that cookie?

I looked down to myself, and the first thing I saw was an Hawaiian shirt.

"Gordon.." I muttered under my breath.

"Did you understand, Gordo?" Scott interrupted my thoughts. I need to visit 2 persons.

"No, but I'm not interested in whatsoever you're talking about. I need to speak urgently with Alice and Brains about an important matter." I said dryly.

"But- it's a rescue- what do you need to do with Alice?" Virgil looked puzzled at me.

"I'll explain later." I made just in time to respond to him that I already disappeared upstairs.

"But it's a rescue!" I heard Scott calling out for me, his voice more and more distant.

I found Gord-I mean me, instantly, looking at me with wide eyes.

"What happened?"

"Who the hell gave you that cookie? Where have you got it?" I got directly to the point.

"Grandma. She said she made some good cookies, and to celebrate she made everyone take one. They were actually good. She also said that she found this purple cookie alone in a jar in the kitchen and added it with the others. It caught my attention, so I ate it immediately."

No, my cookie! Nice place to hide a cookie with someone else's DNA on it, Brains.

"So what is happening?" My voice came back to me without me moving my mouth. I looked at my body, noticing just then that Gordon wasn't talking with his voice like in all the fictions I've read, but with mine.  
Only the soul is swapped. It feels like a film, but I admit it's interesting.

"Okay, first of all we need to go to Brains." It's strange to talk with someone else's voice; it doesn't give me the authority I want. "He knows what is going on, and he can explain it to you better than me." I started walking, him following me. "Virgil will ask you questions, and probably Scott will lecture me since you have to do an important mission and I just answered badly at them. Forgive me, but I panicked."

He nodded. "I will try to answer well to them. So you know about that?"

"Yeah, but I'll explain later."

"Can you tell me why my tummy-your tummy hurts so much?"

"You will understand when you will have to go to the bathroom." With that I was once again in the living room, just not in my body.

"What do you mean with that?" Gosh, these boys are clueless.

"Gordon! There you are!" Came Scott's raged voice. I'm in trouble. "How dare you answer like that?! You never refuse to go on a rescue!"

I have to think fast. How do I get out of this? An idea came into my mind.

"I'm sorry, but...I don't feel too good.." I said, holding my stomach, emulating a food poisoning symptom. "I think the cookie I just ate has something in it that didn't meet on good terms with my stomach." Fortunately I still have the cookie in my hand.

Scott looked at me, then nodded sternly. "Go to Brains, he may have some medicinal to help your food poisoning."

I sighed in relief. Thank goodness. I met with Gordon's eyes, wide with horror, then I looked at Virgil, smiling at him. Then Gordo attached to me like a seashell, while Virgil looked at me with cold eyes. Guess it was because I just answered badly to him.  
I looked down. I shouldn't take this on the personal, right?

When we were out of sight, Gordon-Alice turned to me, eyes wide with horror. "Alice! He just kissed me! I kissed with my brother!"

I was without words; the only thing I found logical to do was to laugh. He looked bad at me.

"Don't laugh! It's gross! Utterly gross!"

"Sorry, but it's just funny. Anyways, what excuse did you tell him?"

"I told him my tummy was hurting, which is true. You?"

"Food poisoning with grandma's cookies. I still have in hand my cookie, so he believed me."

🕺🏽💃🏽🕺🏽💃🏽🕺🏽💃🏽🕺🏽💃🏽🕺🏽💃🏽🕺🏽💃🏽🕺🏽💃🏽🕺🏽💃🏽

"S-so you a-are telling me that...that it worked?" Brains stuttered in awe.

"Yes, and I never doubted you, but you know you had to wait for my permission, right?"

"Yeah, i-if you're asking me why the cookie was in the k-kitchen I didn't take it there. Yesterday g-grandma took me dinner, as you can remember-" true "-then she took everything back- oh. Oh no..."

I already knew where he wanted to go. "Grandma took away the cookie and placed it on the plate this morning."

"I-I can do an antidote, b-but it will take some time.."

"How much?" Gordon leaned in.

"A week, or two if it's difficult. I will need to take the DNA tests again."

"Uhh, noo, I refuse to be injected again!" I interjected with a stern tone, much sterner because of Gordon's deep voice.

"We won't need that. It is sufficient the DNA on the cookie, yours injected in the cookie and Gordon's in the saliva from the bite."

"Eugh." We both said in unison.

"B-but now we have b-better things to do!"

"As in?"

"We have to tell the others of your...swap."

"Oh."


	2. Chapter 2

So we got downstairs, and Brains just told everyone that we were swapped; everyone looked at us shocked.

"Sorry guys. I didn't know that the cookie had to be there.." grandma immediately apologised. I accepted it, excusing myself with Scott too. He just smiled and nodded.

Virgil just stayed there, looking at both of us like we were two aliens.

"Are you telling me that I just kissed...Gordon? As in my brother Gordon?"

"Yeah..and you gave me this look..maybe be more gentle even if it's your brother puffer fish we're talking about."

"I'm sorry, hun. Woah, it feels strange to say it at Gordon- Gordon's body.."

"Another thing bothers me." John said though the comms.

We all looked at him.

"What exactly?" I said trembling.

"The fact that Gordo needed to go on a rescue 10 minutes ago."

"Oh hell! Haven't thought about that!" I turned to Gordo-myself. "What happens when you have to go on a rescue? You can't exactly go on a rescue with my body and say 'what's shakin' bacon?' to everyone! And I can't just go and say 'hello, I'm Gordon Tracy and I have no idea on how to rescue properly you ma'am!'  
I mean, you trained me for that, but I don't exactly know what I have to do!"

"Litchi! Deep breaths!" Gordon-me took my shoulders, calming me down. Thanks to this puffer fish for not letting me enter in a panic attack! "We will think of that, okay?"

"Yeah, but don't call me Litchi again." I flashed him a deadly grin.

"That's not what I wanted to say.." John interrupted, looking at me with a concerned face. He knew damn well the various attacks I had and have, but doesn't know the motive, apart from Virgil the Bear, and I never told him.

I raised a questioning eyebrow at him.

"What I wanted to say is that the people still need to be rescued. Y'know, the people on the bottom of the Pacific sea?" He said quietly.

My panic level raised up again. Oh no, gosh no. Numerous pair of arms took me, but I didn't want them to touch me. It was only when I felt the usual pair of strong arms encircle me that I calmed down.

"It's strange to hug my brother like that." He whispered smiling in my right ear. I smiled too, taking a deep breath.

"Okay." I then said after a moment of pause.

"Okay to what, Gordon?" Kayo intercepted. She just came back from a stealth mission. She doesn't know a thing.

"I didn't say anything." Gordon-me intercepted; he still isn't used to he being in another body- like you could be used to that.

Kayo just looked confused at Gordo-me.

"But I didn't ask you, Alice.."

"Oh! Uh..sorry?" He said sheepishly.

"Long story short my body and Gordon's swapped together, so I, Alice, am in Gordon's body, and Gordon is in mine. Strange, I know, but that's how everything went." I answered simply.

Kayo looked shocked at us, then started laughing. "Yea, and I'm the great fairy godmother!"

"W-where are your wings, t-then?" Brains intercepted. Ooh, ice cold! "As t-the scientist that d-did the experiment I c-can assure you that it worked."

Kayo looked unbelievably at us. "I-..I don't have words, honestly. But if you say it, then it's true."

"Ah, but you don’t know what happened before you got here!" Alan interrupted us smiling "Gordon and Virgil have-" and fortunately he was immediately interrupted by his brothers who put their hands on his mouth angrily. "She doesn’t have to really know..." Gordon-me gave Alan a forced smile.

"For once I have to agree with my brother. Let’s never talk about this again, Alan." Virgil said, taking his big hand out of his younger brother’s mouth. Alan just nodded his head as Kayo turned her head to a side curiosly.

"Anyway-" I interrupted them, "-before I was saying okay because I thought so much about what you said, John, and I think whatever you tried to say before, you’re right."

"What do you mean?" This time it was John who did not understand.

"I mean, people still need International Rescue even though Gordon and I switched bodies, so we should help them."

"No, come on!" Gordon got in the way annoyed. "How are you gonna do that, Litchi?"

"First of all, I think I told you never to call me that again, second of all, there’s a way, genius of nature."

"I’m listening."

"Well. Since I am usually the co-pilot of each of you, I just participate in the missions under the guise of Gordon, then he will come with me as co-pilot and dictate to me everything I have to do and how I have to do it. Let’s do this for now, then we’ll figure out a way to get through the other missions."

"Hey, it might actually work!" Scott thought about it for a moment, then nodded. " Yeah, let’s do that for now, then we’ll figure out a more planned way for the other missions. Go get ready; John, call the GDF and advise them that we’re getting there to rescue the explorers. Thunderbirds are Go!"

And with that phrase, we went to get ready. Gordon-me, of course, went to his launch tunnel, inserting his handprint which of course, not being of his body, was not recognized. I also have a launch tube close to Gordon’s, of course the same thing prevails for the other brothers. Even the unlocking system was the same. I tried to insert the handprint, forgetting that I was not in my body, failing miserably.

We looked at each other for a moment, shaking our heads slowly, to then change tunnels and go down to Thunderbird 2. I admit it's a little weird getting off Gordon’s launch tube and not mine, but well, what do you want to do, what do you expect.

John appeared in mid-process. "Gordo- ah, sorry." He disappeared like he appeared. I furrowed my eyebrows.

Virgil was already waiting for us, ready to take off. He smiled at me gently. Now that I think about it, it will be at least a week, if not more, before I can again embrace him with my body, feel again small but safe in his strong arms, and let the warmth of his body comfort and warm mine. I smiled at him melancholy.

Strange this feeling; that feeling when you have the person you love in front of you, available at any time, but you can’t hug her, as if an invisible barrier were stopping you.

I tried not to think about it anymore, going to my place as a co-pilot and buckling up. Gordon-me just got behind Virgil.

After we departed from the island John came into vision to tell us more information about the rescue. Turns out that a couple explorers got trapped inside an underwater cave, with the oxygen slowly decreasing.

I rapidly thought about what I have to do: I just have to get to the explorers, give some oxygen on who's short of it, and then get them out on TB2. Simple, like a piece of cake.

"It's a piece of cake!" Gordon just repeated what I thought; I turned to him.

"So, Alice, since TB4 has 2 seats on the front and at least another 2 on the medical bay, we should be alright. It will be simple."

"Yeah, I thought about that too." I nodded.

"We're arrived!" Virgil announced from near me. I unbuckled and got up from my seat, squeezing gently Virgil's shoulder in the process, Gordon following me down to the deployment module.

We got into TB4, checking that everything was alright. Both me and Gordon nodded.

"Virg, we are go for module deployment."

"FAB." After a second I heard a loud tonf. We were down in water now. The module opened, and we got underwater immediately.

"Are you gonna say it or am I gonna say it?"

"Say it."

"Thunderbird 4 is go!" He shouted happily with my voice. Yay, I had the indirect chance to say that!

"'Ight. Imma head down." He said jokingly, after he located those explorers with the sonar. Obviously, he was the one driving this thing; I was trained, but not to this point, duh.

We managed to get to TB4 those explorers, going back up in TB2 and getting that couple into the medical bay, refilling them with some oxygen. After checking out that they were alright we got back into the cockpit to Virgil. He smiled at us.

"Nice first mission, Al!"

"Yeah, but now let's get home."

After routing us to home I seated back into the co-pilot seat, fist-bumping with Gordon-me.

"I need to go to the bathroom." He said once we were near home. I smiled evilly.

Oh, this is going to be fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posted with an infected eye, but fortunately this chapter was already done a few days ago.  
> Just noting here that I will not be able to post for a week or so.♡


	3. Chapter 3

"Aaaaaaah!" came my voice screaming from upstairs. Huh, I guess he got to the bathroom after all. I tilted my head with a smirk.

"Alice! How are you composed?" he asked in terror with his hands all bloody. Did he just...wipe himself with his hands?

"Uh? What??? I hope you meant to ask me what is happening to you now?" I said confused.

"Yeah, why is there blood coming out from your-" I interrupted him by scooping him away from the living room and upstairs.

We got in record time to the bathroom, and I told him all the wonders of the period. He made a distgusted face for all the time.  
I rolled my eyes, then instructed him on how to use the tampons; I made him look how I put them and then he put one too.

_I can't believe I'm doing this..._

Once he understood I left him in the bath to wash himself out, going down to the living room again. Scott and Virgil were looking confused all the time, the second eldest immediately approaching me.

"Are you hurt anywhere? Do you have a wound where your blood comes from?"

I looked at him like he spoke to me in morse code.

"Do you really not know anything about the period? That time of the month?"

"Ah." they both said, nodding.

After a bit Gordon-me came back, apparently clamer, and especially cleaner. "Now it's better! But my tummy hurts…"

"Yeah, I know."

"How can you support this every time per month?!"

"Abitude and Learning. After a pill you will totally forget about the period."

"So after the pill I can go swimm-"

"No. Not if you don't want the pool to get all bloody red. Your choice."

"Better not. I can stop swimming for a day."

I laughed out loud. "A day?! My period is long at least 5 days! And considering that Brains said that it will get at least a week before we re-swap, you will have to stop swimming for at least 5 long days."

And with my phrase he was on the floor. Fainted. And totally unconscious. I was about to go after him when I stopped in my tracks, taking my head in my hands and letting out a cry of pain.

"Alice!!!" Virgil rushed immediately to me, while Scott dashed towards Gordon-me.

"So if he hurts himself, I get hurt too. I am doomed then.." I slightly laughed.

After a bit he awakened again from his slumber; we were both in the med-bay, both with a pack of ice on the back of our heads.

"Whar happened to you…?" he said quietly.

"You fainted and srumped your head on the floor."

"And why are you with a pack of ice on your head?"

"What part of my answer did you not understand? You fell on the floor."

"And what has thid got to do with you?"

"Did you not understand? If you get hurt, I hurt myself too. So avoid falling and hurting yourself."

"Alright. But why in the hell did you have to have the period now? Couldn't it wait?"

"It's not that I decide when to have the period! Well, I knew that it was arriving in the next week, but now it arrived earlier."

We remained in silence for a few minutes then I got up huffing and placing gently the ice pack on the table near me. After a few minutes Gordon did the same, and we were both on out feet.

I walked to the door to get out of the med-bay. My hand was on the door knob, and I was about to open it when someone entered in that moment, making the door slam into my face, bending back also a couple of fingers of my hand, causing a throbbing pain troughout my hand. I insinctively knelt on the floor, and I felt Gordon-me doing the same, both wincing in pain.

Alan appeared innocently from behind the door. "Virgil asked me to see how are y-" he finished the sentence in the middle when he saw us on the floor, widening his eyes. "Virgiiiilll!!" he called his brother with a loud voice, that came not short after, panting. He had black oil all over him, and he had also a screwdriver in his hand.

_Perfect. He was definitely doing some kind of upgrade to TB2, and we had disturbed him. But it's not our fault that Alan slammed the door in our- in MY face._

"Hello, you." I said with a little smile, holding my hurt hand with my other one.

"What happened this time?" asked Virgil exasperated.

"Alan slammed the door in my face as I was about to leave!" I cried, and hearing my words with Gordon's voice made no difference to me; he is always crying over little things.

Virgil simply shook his head, to then take me back to the hospital bed, taking the back of ice I had left on the side earlier and putting back on my hand this time; then he did the same on Gordo-me's hand.

He came back to me, and then he took care of my face, my nose all red and bleeding. As he did so, I looked into his eyes, but more than a hint of concern I saw nothing else than exasperation behind his chocolate irises, as if I had disturbed him. Actually I HAD disturbed him, but he never made me weigh it so much like every other time. Maybe he's angry with Gordon and he forgot that it's me inside his body.

I closed my eyes, letting him finish taking care of my face, and only when I felt that he had finished I opened my eyes again. I watched all his movements as he also took care of Gordo-me, and I saw something forced in his movements, as if he was taking care of us reclutantly...as if he didn't want to see us..

_...but why?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made it! I'm so happy to finally be able to touch this story again! I'll post an update on Dust too...i have also a little (big) project in mind...stay tuned!


	4. Chapter 4

I got sad, wondering why he was mad at me, mad at us; I was gathering courage inside myself, and I was actually about to ask him, when I felt another type of emotion inside of me: a burning anger, raging and bursting though my veins.

I immediately furrowed my eyebrows, sure about the fact that I was sad, sure, but certainly NOT angry. My first instinct was to turn towards Gordo-me, and I did so immediately.

The first thing I noticed was, in fact, Gordo-me that was looking VERY badly at Virgil; when he felt that I was watching him, Gordon turned towards me, concern dancing beneath my blue irises. Without thinking twice about it I nodded with my head, receiving a smile from my face, and the anger inside of me slowly faded until there was nothing left of it.

So...when I felt the sadness inside of me, he felt it too, and that led him to feel angery towards Virgil...so we share the same emotions at the same time...not only the pain..

I smiled quietly, Virgil babbling something about staying safe and not staying up in the sun for the moment, then left closing the door behing him.

I wonder if he can hear my thoughs, too... _hmm...pufferfish...? Can you hear me..?_

I waited a moment, then another one, until a few minutes passed and I didn't receive any response or look from him. So I decided to talk to him face-to-face. "Gordon...did you feel that too...?"

"What were you feeling? Yes. I felt you were sad..don't mind Virg. I don't know what's the issue with him, but I got angry when you felt sad. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I would've felt the same way if I was in your place."

"Technically you ARE in my place, Litchi." he said snickering.

"Oh my God don't call me that way! I'll discover what's the deal with Virgil, let's get out of here now." I said annoyed.

He nodded, following me down the wall. In a short time we arrived in the living room, where we both sat on the big couch; Gordon-me put immediately a pillow on his belly, sighing pleasantly. "Wow..I feel actually better now."

"I do that when I'm on my period too. It actually helps a lot more that the hot water bag. But didn't you take a pill for the tummy?"

"Ah, with the rescue and all I forgot. If you give one to me, I'll take it right away."

I nodded, getting up to get the box of pills I had taken from the med-bay before, but I got concentrated to read the package while I was walking back to sit on the couch near Gordo-me.

"Sorry to be insistent, but these pills?" Gordo snorted impatiently.

"Here it says that you have to take them on a full stomach, so you have to eat something first."

"Ah, do I even have to eat? With this pain?" Gordon looked at me as if I told him some sort of funny joke.

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, you have. If you wait a moment I'll make something up for you right away."

He sighed. "Okay.."

So I got to the kitchen, opening the refrigerator to see what was inside. It’s time for an afternoon snack, so it might be better to go for something sweet in this case. She pulled out of the fridge of the sweet white yogurt, and then pulled out of the pantry of the dark chocolate, finely chopping it and mixing it together with the yogurt. She put water to boil, and while it warmed, she also pulled out some oranges from the fruit basket. When the water was finally warm he poured some water from the kettle into a cup, and then took a cup and climbed into the tea pantry, that pantry that theoretically only John could touch when he was not on Thunderbird 5. He loved his tea so much that he was buying industrial quantities when he was on Earth, and I couldn't blame him. The tea he preferred was so good that very often I also drank a cup with him.

I took a bag of chamomile tea from one of the millions of packages, then closed the pantry and got out of the chair. When I turned to reach the cup with boiling water, I made a small leap when I realized that Scott was staring at me with a bitten apple in his hand.

"How long were you looking at me?" I asked, embarrassed.

"Ever since I saw you take the stool."

"Then why didn’t you help me get her instead of making me do this whole show?" I asked angry.

"I was eating." He simply replied, biting the apple in his hand further.

I looked at him offended. "Get out of here."

"Sorry, sorry. I’m leaving now."

I was going to help him leave when a sudden thought came to mind. Maybe Scott knows what Virgil has today; if anyone knows Virgil better than I do, it’s his older brother. "Wait!"

"No, don’t worry. I won’t tell John."

"That’s not it. I’d like to ask you something else." I asked timidly, biting my lip and playing with the tea bag, making it pass from hand to hand as if it was on fire.

He looked at me in thin spots, and then he took a few last bites of the apple and threw the core in the basket. "What is it?"

"Uhm...do you know what Virgil has today?"

He looked at me again, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "Do you know that I don’t even know? He’s been acting strangely since the rescue today, but I honestly don’t know why. Did anything special happen in Thunderbird 2?"

I beckoned him to sit on a chair while I approached the cup, noting that the water inside had cooled. Sighing, I put it back in the kettle to warm it up again. I could hear my voice complaining in the living room. "Wait a minute, I have to give this to Gordon." I let him know by taking the bowl of yogurt and chocolate. He nodded, and I rushed to Gordo-me. "Here, pufferfish, eat this. I’m also making you a chamomile."

Gordo looked at me with his arms crossed. "I don’t know how this yogurt will help m-"

I didn’t give him time to finish the sentence I ran into the kitchen to Scott. "Here I am! I’ll explain." I said sitting in a chair.

"Well... Virgil was looking at me strangely the whole time we were together to go home."

"Well, that seems normal. I, too, looked at you strangely when I saw you climb a chair; you don’t see Gordon getting on a stool every day."

"Yeah, I get it, but it only looked weird at me! I mean, there’s Gordon in my body, and this should be even weirder!"

"Well, yeah." said Scott contemplating. ".. It’s also strange to see you, your body, sticking your fingers up your nose." he carelessly said, to then put a hand over his mouth embarrassed. 

My jaw fell to the ground, and I widened my eyes. "GORDON DID WHAT?!"

"C-calm down, Alice...take a few deep breaths…" he stammered.

I didn’t listen to him. " Hah!" I simply said, to then remain silent. I got up to put the hot water back in the cup, letting the chamomile infuse into the water, then I went back to sit in front of Scott.

"Uhm...you’re taking it much more calmly than expected."

"...maybe. So, as I was saying, Alan came into the infirmary a little while ago to see how we were doing, and, well, we got hurt even worse than before, and so Virgil stepped in. But while he was treating us, it was as if he was looking at both Gordon and me with exasperation, and his movements were forced. We disturbed him, it’s true, but he doesn’t usually make us weigh so much."

He immediately nodded. "True. Usually when someone gets hurt, especially you, he tends to put all his commitments in the background. There’s something wrong.. I can try to talk to him."

"I would really like that. Now I have to bring this tea to _that one_." I said almost with contempt. How the hell did Gordon get his fingers up his nose? Especially when he’s in my body?

Scott chuckled. "So you’re still pouting at Gordon?"

"... no." I said, not too sure.

He rolled his eyes, and I also took the orange I had put aside before. I arrived with that in the living room and, without hesitation, threw it violently on Gordon’s head.

"Ow! But why did you do this to me??"

"Because you stuck MY beautiful fingers into MY beautiful nose! Why did you do THAT to me?"

"Oh my God, it was no big deal!"

"No big deal? It’s totally disgusting!"

"Can you stop complaining?" a mysterious voice sighed.

"N-" I started to refuse, but when I recognized the voice I suddenly turned around...in Virgil's direction.

He was standing, this time all clean, looking at us exasperated with his arms crossed over his chest. His look was the same as the one he had at the med-bay… " May I know what all this mess is about?"

"Gordon’s stomach is hurting. I was preparing something for him.."

"And that’s it?" he replied almost aggressively. I widened my eyes in shock, and so did Gordo-me. As long as I’ve known him, I’ve never once seen him respond aggressively to me or any other family member. _What the hell is going on??_

"Virgil! What’s wrong with you today?" Scott intromised, looking at Virgil severely.

Virgil, on the other hand, did not say anything, only passing a hand through his hair. Without speaking a word to any of us, he left the living room. We all looked confused between each other.

"I’ll go talk to him immediately-" Scott started, but I stopped him right away.

"No, I’ll go." I got up from the couch and climbed up the stairs where Virgil had gone.

I arrived in a short time to his bedroom, and knocked on his door.

"Leave me alone, Scott." he said immediately, but I couldn’t quite hear his voice.. Without saying anything, I tried to open the door, but this one was locked. Confused, I got away and then I went back down, my confusion turned to anger. Only this time, I was the one feeling anger. A burning, deep, anger inside myself.

_Something's wrong._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the lateness, ugh..


	5. Chapter 5

I went back to the living room worse than I had left, so angry and confused, my eyebrows frowned at and at a fast pace. To hell with him and his stupid moods; if he wants to be alone then he’ll be happy, because as far as I’m concerned, he won’t see me all day. I ignored the calls of the others, immersed in my thoughts, and I went to the kitchen with the thought of getting a cup of coffee to cool off the anger. In the end I thought about it and I started to heat the water for the tea, thinking about what Virgil could have. I’ve never seen him lose his temper since I’ve known him, especially with me. I have to clarify the situation with him, but I will definitely not do it today; once my tea is ready I will retire to my room and I will not even be seen at dinner. Always immersed in my thoughts I took a cup from the top cabinet, but it unwittingly broke into my hands. I forgot that I wasn’t in my body...I took the cup with such power that it split in my hands, despite being this made in ceramic.

"Fuck.." I grumbled quietly when my hand started bleeding. I immediately opened the tap and put my hand under cold water, while I was blindly looking with my other hand for a towel to cover my hand. Once I found something similar, I took care of the hand which, despite being under the jet of water, continued to bleed uninterruptedly. I pulled out all the pieces of ceramic that I could see, and then turned off the water and immediately covered the hand with paper towels that I found nearby, which were almost immediately stained with blood. I looked around, swearing under my breath at the burning I felt, and found a towel on the back of a chair. Sighing slightly, I covered my cut hand with that, and at that same moment, Gordon-me entered the kitchen gasping.

"What the fuck happened to you!? I have a filthy pain in my hand and...what’s all this blood...?"

God, I completely forgot that even Gordon was able to feel the same pain that I felt too! "Nothing, I just forgot I was in your body and I accidentally broke a cup. I didn’t think you could be so strong, pufferfish." I casually said as if nothing had happened.

He looked at me restless, only to pass a hand on his forehead. "One thing is certain...this wound continues to bleed even if you’ve covered it up nicely."

Looking down I realized what he was trying to say; even the towel was soaked in blood. "Wow, not even the pig I had back then at home didn’t bleed that much when it got slaughtered...If you bring me a needle, wire and an anesthetic from the medical bay, I’ll take care of it right away."

He laughed slightly at my pig joke, only to get serious once I began to instruct him what to take from the medical bay. "But excuse me, if I take you to the med-"

"Oh, and some tweezers, please. Now that I think about it, take them to my room." I interrupted him and looked at him seriously. I didn’t want to risk meeting Virgil here or in the med-bay. He rolled his eyes without saying a word and then ran off to the medical bay.

Ignoring the burning in my hand I went back to take care of the kettle that was whistling for how much the water was hot. I poured the boiling water into a cup, and then took the stool again and went up to take the tea in the top cupboard. Damn you, John...why didn’t you decide to put your precious tea on the moon?

I rolled my eyes, thinking that John would actually consider it as an idea. I got off the stool with a peach tea bag in my hand, and when I turned around I found myself facing John. I jumped again. "What the hell! First Scott and now you?!"

"In the meantime, explain to me why you took my tea. Twice in a row." he said dryly, with a cup of tea in his hand. Where the hell did he get that?

I decided not to ask him. "I took the chamomile because Gordon was feeling bad earlier, and I took this tea bag because I would like to calm down. Can I?" I almost sarcastically asked.

"If you want to calm your nerves I recommend lavender tea and not peach tea." He just said, and then he just walked out of the kitchen like that. I watched him leave the kitchen bewildered, my eyes wide and my hands in front of me. That’s it? No lecture? No John female version that yells at me because "oh no my precious tea"? They’re all strange today...

Anyway I put the tea bag, this time with the lavender, in the hot water and, without waiting for it to infuse in the water, I took the cup, this time calmly, and I went to my room. Once I entered, I found Gordon there, sitting on the bed, waiting for me with the things I had asked him to take from the med-bay.

"Here you are. What took you so long?" he asked, yawning not too politely. I swear, it was an agony to stand there and watch Gordon-me do stupid things in my body.

I grimaced. "John had stopped me in the kitchen and so I was talking to him. So, where’s the tweezers, for starters?" I asked myself trying to keep a calm tone, while I put the cup of tea on the bedside table next to the bed and I went to lock the door of my bedroom.

"I think you’re just being a child, Litchi." He started talking, and then stopped when I gave him a bad look because of the nickname he gave me. "You should go talk to Virg, not avoid each other and pretend one or the other doesn’t exist."

"I’m not pretending that he doesn’t exist-" even if at the moment I’d like to "-I’m avoiding him because I’m not the one who has to explain, I’m not the one who behaved badly and lost his temper. He wants to see me, but I’m not gonna be in his way today."

"Alice." he said seriously. I stopped to look at him with my eyes wide open: he had never called me by my name before. Strange...too many changes have happened today... "I love you so much, and I’ll tell you with all the respect I have in this body, but you’re a grown woman. Why don’t you make your own decisions instead of always waiting for others? Okay, Virgil misbehaved and wanted to isolate himself from us for tonight, but what do YOU want? Make some kind of decision, because being immature is not good for either of you. Live, shellie.. do it for yourself. Follow your instincts and do what you feel like doing."

When he had finished talking I looked at him absolutely incredulous, now even my jaw lowered to the center of the earth. This was not Gordon in front of me...some serious damage happened when he hit his head before, yes, yes.

"Can you shut up? My jaw is starting to hurt." he said folding his arms to his chest, while I was convincing myself that he had acquired some neurons since the fall of before.

I closed my mouth in an embarrassing smile, which went on until Gordon-me spoke again. "Then-"

"You are not Gordon! Who are you and what did you do to him?!" I almost screamed, putting my hands between my short and blond hair and pretending despair.

He rolled his eyes, and then put a hand on his chin with thoughtful doing. "Even though I expected you to burst out laughing, this reaction was also really interesting. I can act stupid, but I’m not really one. So when can you stop the pain in your hand?" he said, changing the subject as if nothing had happened.

"I never said you were stupid.." I whispered "however I forgot to ask for the bandages." I replied embarrassed, massaging my neck.

"I brought them." he said waving the bandage coil, then took the tweezers and handed them to me. "Sit down next to me."

"Well." I said, getting rid of the towel and paper towels on my hand.

"But you have to promise me that after you fix your hand, you’ll go talk to Virgil." he added, picking up the tweezers before I could get them in my hands.

I gave him a face without any expression. "You could have asked me before I exposed the wound. I remind you that it’s still bleeding."

"True. Anyway you can’t self-operate, you’re afraid of needles." he said jokingly.

"You reminded me! But I’m not calling Virgil now, we agreed I’d talk to him later."

"You don’t need Virgil for that. I remind you that all of us, including Kayo, have medical experience. Just because Virgil has a degree and is more experienced than us, it doesn’t mean that we don’t know how to operate a person. Leave it to me, and turn your head as soon as you see a needle."

I nodded sighing, and then watched as he removed the shards of pottery from the palm of my hand with the tweezers. It burned terribly, but I tried to bear it.

"That’s why you were bleeding so much! A larger piece of the cup has cut down the palm. The cut isn’t deep, but it’s why you lost so much blood. I have to stitch it up."

"Ah, I noticed it too." I nod with my head, "that’s why I asked you to bring me needle and thread."

"Mhm." he simply said as he wiped my hand of blood with a handkerchief. "Now I'll take the anaesthetic. Are you ready?"

"I was born ready!" I exclaimed and then I turned my head when I saw the needle of the syringe.

I felt the injection almost immediately, and after a few minutes my hand was completely senseless. " Dear my shell, we have a slight problem: my hand has also fallen asleep, so I need you to hold with your good hand the hand on which I must operate."

"Leave it to me." I said, taking my hand in hand, then I turned my head again. I didn’t feel as he was stitching the big cut I had on my palm, but I felt distinctly when he wrapped it up.

"That’s all for today. Thank you for your attention." he said jokingly. I gave him an affectionate kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you! You are the best!"

"I know, I know. Now go do what you promised me!" he yelled at me angry. I looked scared for a while, and he also looked at me angry. We just stood there looking at each other for a while, when he broke the staring contest to yawn. "I was joking lol."

This time I was the one looking at him angry. "What a joke!"

He ignored me, getting up to unlock the door. I followed him angry, ready to yell at him, when he opened the door of the room and, with a force that surprised me, pushed me out of the room. "Off you go." he yawned and then shut the door in my face.

I was just thrown out. By myself, if I may say so. From my room. I got kicked out of my damn room. I mean, the table is turning here.

Taking courage, and a deep breath, I approached Virgil’s room, knocking on his door.

"Go away, Scott." he repeated. " If you want to talk to me, do it after dinner, I’ll come down."

I was about to give him a bad answer when I saw Scott out of the corner of my eye approaching me from the hallway. In religious silence I signaled him to turn around and to leave. He nodded and waved with his hand before leaving. I went back to the door of Virgil’s room, slowly moving away.

😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫

I’ve been waiting for almost an hour now in front of Virgil’s room. I was tired and hungry, but I could feel my hand coming back. I had just finished yawning, when with the corner of my eye I noticed the door of Virgil’s room open. Here’s my chance. Moving quickly I interposed between the door and him angry, the body of Gordon in which I was was so helpful. "Do you think to go somewhere? You better get back to your room so we can talk."

He didn’t say anything, but he looked at me with his eyes narrowed before he got back to his room. I went in too, closing the door behind me, and laid my hands on my hips. "Why are you ignoring me?" He didn’t answer me, and that made me even angrier. But I decided to stay calm. "So?"

He was looking at me, but then his eyes were drawn to something. "What happened to your hand?"

"None of your fucking business." I said angry. I’ve had enough of his drama today.

He went back to look at me, this time also angry, his chocolate-colored eyes turned into an abysmal black. He crossed his arms on his chest, continuing to look at me almost with contempt.

"Look at you.." he finally whispered ".. you’ve fallen so low. You came to exchange yourself with Gordon."

Even if they were whispered, these words came to me loud and clear, hitting me like a fist in the face. "So that’s why you’re ignoring me?"

I whispered. "Do you realize how stupid it is?" I said after a little silence, this time a little louder.

"I don’t see anything stupid about it. We agreed to do this big project between us, but you apparently changed your mind at the last minute." He said in a calm but contemptuous tone.

"What?" I said shocked. He thinks that the exchange of bodies between me and Gordon was voluntary?? "I think you misunderstood, Virgil...it was not voluntary. When Brains made that cookie, he didn’t hide it well, so Grandma got it down to the kitchen table. It was by chance that Gordon took it, just as Scott or Alan could have taken it...or you."

"Sure. Now make sure you blame it on others. Why don’t you take a bunch of your responsibilities and behave civilly?" he almost screamed.

"Me, behave civilly? Except that it was just a stupid mistake, but I didn’t think you cared so much! These are not the important things to think about, Virgil! Maybe the problems we have every day were so light! Are you trying to say that just because I switched my body with your brother’s, you don’t love me anymore?"

"Yes. Because I trusted you." he said with a calm tone, calm enough to put the shivers. If I thought the words before had the same effect as a punch in the face, these ripped my heart out of my chest. I couldn’t breathe properly; was he really so annoyed by this fact? So annoyed by getting to tell me these words right in the face?

I decided to ask him. "Did it really bother you that much?" I whispered, not finding my breath to talk.

He must have finally realized what he had said, because he widened his eyes and approached me. I pushed him away, waiting for his answer with my arms crossed around my chest, trying to stay as calm as possible but failing.

"Alice, I’m sorry- I still love you- I didn’t want to-" he tried to say, but I interrupted him.

"I don’t know what you’ve got tonight, but that’s no reason to argue about it. I’m leaving." I whispered opening the door to Virgil’s bedroom. Without even looking behind me, I closed the door behind me, running with tears in my eyes in my room, ignoring Virgil’s desperate calls.


	6. Chapter 6

I flew into my room almost like a rocket, locked the door behind me, and then rushed into bed and cried almost desperately, putting my head under the big purple pillow when I heard Virgil knock on the door, insisting on apologizing and asking me to open the door.

I didn’t notice Gordon-me’s presence at all until I felt him lay a hand on my shoulder, holding it a little bit and then starting to shake it slightly.

I turned my head slowly just right for myself so I could watch Gordon out of the corner of my eye, my face burning and my eyes blurred with tears. "Explain it to me. Explain to me why I feel so bad, like I’m about to explode. I feel my face burning, I have no air in my lungs, and I don’t feel my heart anymore." he whispered, putting a hand on his chest and then clenching it in a fist, the fabric of the shirt that followed that movement.

"T-then you know how it feels, finally."

"Not only am I feeling what you’re feeling now, but I also felt your emotions before. What did that asshole say to you? Why did it make you feel so bad?"

"He told me he doesn’t love me anymore! D-don’t..."

"Breathe, shell. Take deep breaths. Calm down...and tell me everything calmly."

And so, when my sudden panic attack was over, I told him everything from beginning to end. He listened to me with the expression of a whipped dog, but maybe it was because he was feeling the same emptiness inside that I was feeling too.

"Don't worry, Litchi-" he said in the end "-I don't know why, but I think he's upset. He didn't mean the words he said."

"Y-you know how they say..." I whispered while sobbing "rage gets the truth out of a person."

"That's Alcohol, but as you say, Mistress."

A smile made its way between my teary face, and once he saw that he began smiling too, rubbing my shoulders with his hands. He sure knows how to make a person smile, even when that person is emotionally broke.

"First, finally! I was tired of constantly sobbing and feeling like a little shit! And second...man, I'm patiently waiting for the moment when Brains swaps our bodies again. This is getting rather awkward and I want it to stop."

"I copy that. It's strange, and it's giving me a lot of problems, apparently."

"You just have to talk to Virg when you're both calmer, alright?"

"Whatever. I'm done with him..."

"Yeah, you're saying that, and then the next day we can't get you into a rescue because you are both naked in his b-"

"...FOR TONIGHT!" I almost screamed, trying to cover his voice and block him from finishing that sentence.

He made a sly face. "What? Filosofical truth. But you better not bang while you're in my body."

I looked at him with wide eyes. "I wasn't even in the mood to bang!"

He remained silent for a bit, to then wide his eyes, taking my shoulders firmly. I widened my eyes too.

"Oh my God, what will we do when we will have to shower?!"

I thought for a moment awkwardly. "We...simply don't wash ourselves..."

"That's a big fat nope."

"We...uhm...close our eyes..?"

"Yeah...but then we'll _feel_." he said, touching my boobs with a strange expression.

I looked at him with a hand over my mouth and a disgusted expression, trying to understand what was he trying to say; it was just when I realized that my disgusted expression became shocked.

"Gordon! Stop! I'm getting uncomfortable! I'll dig something up."

"From where you'll dig something up?"

"From this rotten brain of yours."

"Ohi! Well...okay."

"But that comes with a price." I asked slyly.

"What?" he said exasperated.

"Dinner to bed!"

"You want also a strip exhibition?"

"Just...go."

So he came after 10 minutes with a sleepy face and a plum on a plate. He handed it over to me, placing gently the plate on my lap, then he walked to lock the door again.

"What the fuck is this."

"You said you wanted to eat? Suit youself."

"But it's not even the necessary amount to start feeling something in my stomach!"

"My 'rotten brain' need that necessary amount to stay stable."

"Oh God, I'm sorry, okay? But I'm suffering from the inside...I need some ice cream..."

He looked at me sleepily, to then hand over to me a 3kg bucket of chocolate chip ice cream that came from nowhere. He placed that one on my lap, while he took the plum in his hand. I cheered happily, looking at that bucket with teary eyes.

"I've never seen someone cry over ice cream before." He said, rolling his eyes. He then was about to eat the plum that was supposed to be mine, but at the last moment I snatched it out of his hands. He looked at me grimacing. "Can I at least eat something, please?"

"Is that just your dinner?" I asked shocked, rolling the plum in my hands.

He nodded like it was no big deal. "I'm not hungry tonight. I prefer to eat something light."

"Share with me, and I'll share with you?"

He wasn't so determined to remain on his state of mind; I could feel his stomach growling though me. He just lied to my face.

"Whatever floats your boat."

I opened the plum in half, removing the bone and giving a half to Gordon-me. He took gladly, trying to gulp it down in one big bite. When he realized he couldn't, he just took little bites.

Me, on the other side, just swallowed the whole thing in my mouth, to then open the lid and look at the ice cream with dreamy eyes.

We ate everything in a hurry, leaving the bucket empty, then we placed everything down on the floor.

"So, what's your idea? Because I need to wash. And I have to admit it was awkward enough to wash that zone while keeping my eyes closed." Gordon-me said awkwardly.

"Well..." I just said, leading him to my en-suite bathroom.

He knelt down, taking some rubber gloves from inside the bath tub. "Rubber gloves? Are you serious?"

"Listen, I coulDN'T THINK ABOUT ANYTHING!" I said fastly.

"So we just close our eyes and wash ourselves with rubber gloves? Is that really your plan?"

"If you thought in this time of something better then tell me now." I said irritated, crossing my arms around my chest and waiting.

He was currently thinking about it for a few good minutes, but he must not have found any better plan, because he just said "whatever you want" and turned to the shower.

"Okay, so close your eyes while you’re getting undressed and showering, and try to be careful down there. Get a clean towel just for that area, and as soon as you get out of the shower, dry your legs, so you can slip your underwear safely. I don’t use Tampax, and I’m out of them here." I explained with peace of mind, as I went to get a clean towel in the locker. "All clear?" I then asked, turning to Gordon and straining to make a big smile.

"Why don’t you have Tampax here anymore? Are there any more scattered around this house?"

"I lent the package to Kayo because hers were finished. It's at her's, but now I don’t want to go out and get it." I answered carelessly, putting the tampon in the pants that should have worn Gordon-me, a bit weirdly. After all, it was not so normal to see a man tinkering with a woman’s underwear; from an external point of view, this was the situation.

Once I was finished, I turned to Gordon-me, who in the meantime had almost completely stripped, gloves worn and eyes closed naturally. "What’s my shower program?"

To that question Gordon-me stiffened, and after covering his chest with his arms he opened his eyes, staring directly at me. "What do I know, you wash and then get out of the shower! Why, how do you usually shower?"

"Oh no, I thought you guys washed differently."

"We’re men, not aliens. We only use shower gel for the body and a different one for the hair...is that what you wanted to know?"

"But Virgil doesn’t do it...he uses something different every time!"

"We’re not all Virgil here! Besides, I don’t have time to wash when I have to swim."

"Yes, but you can always swim every fucking minute of your life! Isn’t it better to wash properly?"

"I didn’t say I'm not washing myself properly, I just said I don’t have time to use 14 different types of products every time I take a shower. Which then I don’t see the utility in it...just use shower gel and shampoo to wash."

"We don’t use 14 different types of products!"

"So does it ring any bell into your system shampoo, conditioner, hair mask, bubble bath, shower gel, skin scrub, moisturizer, after-sun cream..." he listed, and went on for a few good seconds.

"My skin needs to be hydrated. I don’t see anything wrong with taking care of myself."

"As you say. Now get out, I have to take a shower." he replied almost timidly.

"It’s nothing I haven’t seen before, if you’re ashamed. I’ve been living in that body for 22 years!"

"Yes, but now leave."

  
An hour later Gordon finally came out of the shower, wearing my bathrobe and a towel under the free curls, to prevent the water from the hair from dripping to the ground.

"Took you long enough!"

"My fault! This has been the weirdest shower in my entire life, and I’ve taken showers in all situations! The shower’s all yours."

"Good, consider this an experience." I replied ecstatic, but just as I got up to go to the bathroom the emergency alarm sounded in the room. The alarm was deactivated shortly thereafter, but John’s hologram appeared immediately.

"Guys, we have a situation. We need the help of a famous aquanaut and his co-pilot."

"At this time?" I asked surprised, although in a sense I expected it. After all, people are faced with danger even if it is night.

And in fact... "The world does not stop just because it is night, Litchi." Gordon answered my unambiguous question, sighing. "What’s the situation, John?" he then continued.

"An oceanaut was trapped in an underwater quarry while conducting research on some types of precious rocks in Sardinia, Italy."

"Wait. Did you say oceanaut?"

"Yes, Gord- I mean, Alice. An oceanaut is mainly a person very similar to Gordon, apart from the fact that our aquanaut deals with situations concerning all types of water. The aquanaut deals only with the ocean sector, and its profession is to live or reside for a long time in ocean waters, for scientific or research purposes only."

"Ooh, I get it now! Thank you John!"

"Nothing. I’ll explain the situation the oceanaut is in now."

"Can you turn around, please? I need to get dressed." Gordon seriously interrupted.

"Go to the bathroom. I’ll explain the situation to you." I answered, smiling at him. He smiled back, then headed to the bathroom.

"Then explain the situation to me." I said, focusing my attention on John.

"Well...the oceanaut was currently in the Mediterranean Sea, and was indeed conducting research on these precious minerals that were found underwater, near the coast of Sardinia. He was currently getting something when there was an earthquake. It was mild, and the aquanaut did not suffer any damage luckily, but he is quite frightened. He managed to find refuge in an underground cave and from there called for help, but he notified that the air is becoming a bit thin in there. That was five minutes ago."

"Hmmm..." I thought. "well...surely the entrance to the cave will be blocked, otherwise he would have come out. Does he have enough oxygen in his suit?"

"He says yes, but he’s not using it, at least not yet. He says he’ll wait until he can no longer breathe the air in the cave to use his oxygen. According to the scans, he’s got five minutes of oxygen left."

"He’s saving up, and it’s good for him. Try to contact him, and tell him we’ll be there as soon as possible."

"Great speech!" applauded Gordon from behind me, appearing at my side and laying a hand on my shoulder happily.

"FAB" replied John.

"Wait! But by chance...uhm...by chance we must be...uhm..."

"Accompanied by Virgil? No, you can leave with Thunderbird 4 from the island." he replied calmly and then closed contacts. I sighed in relief; I was not yet ready to confront Virgil, let alone be in the same ship with him.

Gordon understood, because he smiled at me affectionately. "So, I go out first and go into the hallway. Once the passage is clear, I'll give you the signal."

"K." I answered, sitting on the bed. Even if Virgil wouldn’t have accompanied us on this mission, that doesn’t mean he’s not looking for me. With a slight sigh I turned my eyes to my closet. And smiled.


	7. Chapter 7

I waited patiently for Gordon’s signal, and when I finally felt a 'green light' through the communicator I left my room, closing the door gently behind me. Surprisingly, I managed to get to the living room without any kind of interruption.

As I went down the stairs I could hear a buzz of voices; I could recognize my voice and Alan’s voice, they were definitely talking to each other. So I had a deep sigh and, painting on my face the brightest smile I could do, I came into the living room.

"Hello people!"

While Gordon widened his eyes, my smile disappeared from my face and my voice died down my throat, when I saw Virgil staring at me sitting on the couch. But he did not say anything, nor did I want to talk to him.

But didn't Gordo-me just tell me that I had a green light? I’m about to kill him, or maybe...seeing me dressed like this, his dignity will be found on Mars, maybe.

He probably wouldn’t have been so angry either, because what I was wearing was no big deal: just a simple grey shirt with 'RIP, we’re sorry for your loss' written on it that I had bought on a Chinese site, out of boredom. I’ve never worn it before...until now.

Without wasting any more time I immediately headed for Gordon’s launch tube, while he headed for mine. In a moment we were sucked in and taken to Thunderbird 4, which seemed almost waiting for us. Gordon-me immediately put himself in the pilot’s seat, and I have to admit it was very strange to see myself sitting in the pilot’s seat. Who knows, maybe someday...I'll be able too to pilot a Thunderbird. Meanwhile, all I could do was get close to him, slightly bent over to not to bump my head. And in a moment we left, we were off the island. John’s hologram appeared in sight.

"Have you heard more about the oceanaut, John?" Gordon asked, looking at his brother for a moment and then looking ahead.

"Yes, but he doesn’t speak very good English. I still managed to understand that the air in the cave is getting heavier and heavier. The last time I saw him was two minutes ago, and he had his helmet on."

"He started using oxygen, we’re running out of time."

"You’ll be there in time. The oceanaut is very frightened, I tried to keep him calm for a while."

"Put him in line with me." I suddenly said after a moment of silence. John nodded, and in a moment John’s hologram was replaced by that of the oceanaut, which trembled, perhaps by fear or cold.

"We are from the International Rescue, we are coming to you. Try to take small breaths and be calm." I said in a calm and quiet tone.

"I’m sorry.. I don’t understand English very well." he replied in a trembling voice.

"Non ti preoccupare, riesco a parlare bene l'italiano. In che situazione di trovi?" (Don’t worry, I can speak Italian well. What is your situation?)

"Grazie a Dio! Sono ancora nella caverna, ma l'uscita è bloccata da un grosso masso che è caduto a causa del terremoto. Inizia a fare freddo qui, e sento che sto esaurendo l'aria."(Thank God! I’m still in the cave, but the exit is blocked by a big rock that fell because of the earthquake. It’s getting cold in here, and I feel I’m running out of air.)

"Non ti preoccupare, siamo vicini. Tu intanto fai dei respiri piccoli e cerca di respirare dal naso. Sei ferito?"(Don’t worry, we’re close. Meanwhile, take small breaths and try to breathe through your nose. Are you hurt?)

"Non saprei...ho il braccio sinistro un po' addormentato, lo muovo a fatica, ma non ho buchi nella mia tuta, e non sento del sangue."(I don’t know...I’ve got my left arm a little bit asleep, I hardly move it, but I don’t have any holes in my suit, and I don’t feel any blood.)

"Va bene. Resta a parlare con me."(All right. Stay and talk to me.)

"We have arrived, and the boulder is quite large, it blocks the way. But I think I can move it out of the way and get rid of it." Gordon entered the conversation, carefully examining the boulder before him.

"All right. The man reports that his right arm is asleep and he cannot move it well, but otherwise he is fine, even if he is cold."

"Okay, then I’ll take care of the rock. You go get the man and bring him here, we’ll take care of him."

I nodded my head, then turned my attention for the last time to the hologram of the man who was trembling in front of me. "Siamo qui davanti, tu cerca di tenere duro. E stai indietro più che puoi, perché cercheremo di spostare il masso, poi io verrò a tirarti fuori."(We’re up front, you try to hold on. And back up as long as you can, because we’re gonna try to move the boulder, and then I’m gonna come get you out.)

He just nodded his head, and I closed communications. Then I put on my helmet and came out of Thunderbird 4, swimming to the right of the boulder. Gordon immediately activated the grasping arms, and in a short time the entrance of the cave was visible, and also the man inside it.

At that moment I went into action, swimming quickly towards the oceanaut. So at first glance even I couldn’t see any alterations in the suit and possible injuries, but this was nothing that the medical scans couldn’t reveal. I took him by the arm and together we headed towards Thunderbird 4, which in the meantime had moved away the boulder. I was about to accompany the man into Thunderbird 4's medical bay, when I felt another seaquake, this time a settling one.

John’s hologram appeared in front of Gordon-me   
that was trying to maneuver the submarine to avoid the few rocks falling from the surface.

"There’s another quake, Gordon. This one’s settling."

"I noticed- it." Gordon answered at times.

Eventually I managed to get the wounded man into the medical compartment which, even if it was small, managed to contain him just enough for us to get back to the surface, and when I made sure he was safe I went back to Gordon-me.

"If our friend is hurt then we need Virgil. You know that, don’t you?" Gordon-me said, looking at me with a side glance.

"I know..." I answered, putting a hand on my forehead, covering my eyes a little. "Call him."

The trip on Thunderbird 2 was really quiet. None of the three of us dared saying a word, not even Gordon with his lame little jokes. I don’t know if it was because he was able to feel my nervousism, but I was grateful that he was quiet.

After doing a medical check-up on the oceanaut we were taking him to the nearest hospital, as his arm was broken.

This silence was unnerving, and it was starting to annoy my ears. I was sitting behind Virgil, and I could almost see his shoulders, at least as far as the seat allowed. Gordon-me, on the other hand, was sitting in the co-pilot seat where he usually sat.

I leaned my elbow on the armrest of the seat, sinking the palm of my hand into the cheek, looking out and keeping myself from puffing loudly.

When John joined the fray to check in on us, things didn’t get much better. It wasn’t until I saw the familiar view of London that I pulled my face from my hand. I wonder if anyone told Penny that Gordon and I switched bodies. I bet not.

Once we landed, I was the first to go out for a breath of fresh air in the open, while Virgil took care of the wounded man in the medical compartment. Once we were able to secure him a place in the hospital we jumped into Thunderbird 2 again, fastening our seatbelts. I was gonna say something when Gordon-me beat me to it. "What do you say we hit Penny’s?"

"Why not? Call her." answered Virgil in a neutral tone of voice, looking in front of him.

It didn’t take long for Penny to answer us. "Alice! Hi! What brings you to call me?"

" _Okay, that’s kind of awkward._ How about we pop in?" He replied, whispering the first part so as not to be heard by her.

"Sure! We were just preparing some tea.I have just returned from the meeting with the Mayor and I really need it. I'll ask Parker to make more tea for you right away."

"Then we’ll be there in the blink of an eye!" said Gordon-me, to then interrupt communications and slip on the seat huffing.

**Author's Note:**

> (Yay, I did it! Part 2 should be out soon if you want it, if not...part 2 should be out soon♡)


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